Vocational Education and Training in schools

What is VET?

Vocational Education and Training (VET) refers to education and training that focuses on delivering skills and knowledge required for specific industries. It is a learning option for young people in the senior phase of learning.

Participating in VET can:

provide credit points towards the attainment of a Queensland Certificate of Education, and/or the attainment of a nationally recognised VET qualification

support young people's transitions to employment, vocational and higher education pathways.

Other benefits of participating in VET include (but are not limited to):

obtaining practical experience from work

gaining familiarity on how workplaces operate

developing employability skills

developing and improving interpersonal skills

allowing students to explore the potential career path they would like to pursue.

Young people can access VET in a number of ways including:

through their school being a Registered Training Organisation

at TAFE

at another Registered Training Organisation

or through a School-Based Apprenticeship or Traineeship.

VET Certificates II, III and IV and the Queensland Certificate of Education

Credits assigned to VET Certificates III and IV can be checked through the Student Connect website.

Partly completed VET qualifications (Certificate II and above) may contribute credits towards the QCE. The number of credits depends on the proportion of competencies completed and is awarded to partial completion in increments of 25%.

If a student enrols in an authority subject with an embedded VET Certificate, the maximum number of credits that can contribute towards the awarding of a QCE is 4.

For partially completed Authority subjects with embedded VET, the credits associated with each of the Authority subjects and the VET components are calculated and displayed on the Senior Statement. The higher credit value will contribute towards QCE eligibility. For further information see the Student Connect website.

Mackay North State High School offers the following VET subjects to students in Year 11 and 12.

In partnership with external Registered Training Organisation Cairns Training Academy, Mackay North State High School is able to offer the following VET subject:

CHC30113 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

Delivery of these Certificates will be dependent on the approval status of Mackay North State High School’s Scope of Registration. The school guarantees that the student will be provided with every opportunity to complete any VET Certificate as per the rights and obligations outlined in the enrolment process and information in handbooks provided. Students who successfully achieve all qualification requirements will be provided with a Qualification and record of results. Students who achieve at least one unit (but not the full qualification) will receive a Statement of Attainment.

Unique Student Identifier

The USI (Unique Student Identifier) was introduced nationally on 1 January 2015 for all students studying VET qualifications. The school is not permitted to issue Statements of Attainment or Certificates unless students have a USI recorded with Mackay North State High School. After students obtain a USI, they must provide this number to the Head of Department for Vocational Education and Training or the Admin officer in the Senior Hub.

Student’s selecting a Vocational Education and Training subject must create a USI prior to commencing study in a VET subject. Students will require proof of identification to create a USI such as Birth Certificate, Medicare Card or Passport.

Complaints and Appeals Policy

Mackay North State High School has a Complaints and Appeals Policy that applies to all students studying a VET course. This is included in the Student VET Handbook that all students will receive at the commencement of study.

This handbook has been written to provide students with important information about the vocational education and training (VET) qualifications offered at Mackay North State High School as well as your rights and responsibilities as a VET student.